Railroad-bed for trestles



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. M. LEE. RAILROAD BED FOR TRESTLES.

No. 592,990. Patented Nov. 2 1897.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2. J. M. LEE. RAILROAD BED FOR TRESTLES.

Patented Nov. 2,1897.

ma wc-mus PEYERS ca. FHCHO-LIKHU. wnwmarou. a. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT JACOB MARTIN LEE, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

RAILROAD-BED FOR TRESTLES.

srncrrronrrron forming an of Letters Patent No. 592,990,dated November2, 1897.

Application filed December 29, 1896. Serial No. 617,347. (No model.)

that it affords a more elastic support for thetrack-rails than is thecase where the crossties are supported directly on the trestlebridgestructure. Heretofore, however, tresisle-bridges have not generally beenprovided with a road-bed of ballast for the reason that as heretoforeconstructed they have been very expensive and not susceptible of repairwithout destroying the road-bed to such an extent as to seriouslyinterfere with the ordinary traffic of the road.

My invention overcomes these difficulties, and in addition to beingdesigned for entirely new structures is also designed to meet therequirements of reconstruction and ren ewalof ordinary trestle-bridgeson railroads.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portionof a trestlebridge embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a verticaltransverse section of Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in bothfigures of the drawings.

The substructure is arranged as in the ordinary pile or frame trestlebridge. The trestles are indicated by 1 and the stringers by 2. Thestringers are wooden beams substantially uniform in dimensions and ofsuch size and number as to meet the requirements of the road and arepreferably arranged so as to break joint or alternate on the caps 3 ofthe trestles. They are held in position by means of drift-bolts 4,extending through them into the caps. To the upper surface of thestringers is secured a flooring of planks, (indicated by 5.) The planksextend lengthwise at a right angle or diagonally to the line ofstructure, as may be desired, thereby affording longitudinal stiffnessto the structure,

and at the same time permitting the removal of one of the planks withoutmaterially disturbing the road-bed. At each edge of the flooring aguard-rail 6 is secured, the object of which is to confine the ballaston the flooring. These rails 6 extend the entire length of the structureand are secured to the flooring by bolts 7 or any other suitableremovable fastening device in order that the rails may be detached fromthe flooring whenever necessary. On the flooring 5 is placed a bed ofgravel or other suitable ballast S, on which rest the cross-ties 9.

10 represents the track-rails,secured to the ties in the ordinarymanner. The ballast will also preferably be extended above the ties tocover them between the rails as a safeguard against burning cinderswhich may fall from the locomotive, and the rails 10 will serve'asguards to confine this part of the ballast in place.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the structurepresents apermanent road-bed which can be adjusted and worked by theordinary section forces and at the same ti me provides perfectprotection against fire which might be caused by burning coal or sparksfalling from the engine. It is also obvious that the ties, the separateplanks of the floor, or the stringers may be removed should they becomedecayed and be replaced with new ones without deranging or disturbingthe road-bed in such a manner as to obstruct the traffic of the road.

In building an entirely new structure in accordance with my inventiontreated timber will be used for both the substructure and thesuperstructure. It is, however, obvious that a superstructureconstructed according to myinvention may be placed on trestles now inuse, thereby enabling the railroad companies to get the benefit of thefull life of the timber in the trestles already in use, and as thesetrestles can be gradually superseded by trestles of treated lumber theresult will be that eventually a permanent structure of treated lumberwill be made without entailing the heavy outlay incident to completereconstruction at once.

' The distinctive feature of my invention is that I provide in aneconomical manner a ballasted decked trestle, by which is meant acomplete road-bed with a ballast under and between the ties and on topof a wooden structure, whereby I am enabled to use the ordinary trackcross-ties, similar to those on every other part of the road, so thatthe surface and the alinement of the track can be maintained by regularsection forces, and as all the pieces entering into the construction ofthe respective parts of the superstructure are respectively ofsubstantially uniform dimensions, interchangeable, and easily removedthe superstructure can be maintained in repair by the ordinary sectionforces at a minimum of expense.

It will be apparent that changes in the form, proportion, and minordetails of construction may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is-- 1. Thecombination with the trestles, and the longitudinal stringers detachablysupported thereon and separately removab1e,v0f a transverse plankflooring supported di- 2 rectly on the stringers, a bed of ballastsupported on said flooring, cross-ties and rails 3 supported directlyupon said ballast, and longitudinally-arranged guard-rails detachablysecured to the opposite edges of the flooring to confine the ballast,substantially as described.

2. The combination with the trestles and the longitudinal stringerssupported thereon and separately removable and of uniform size, of atransverse plank flooring supported directly on the stringers, a bed ofballast supported on said flooring, cross-ties and rails supporteddirectly upon said ballast, the ballast being extended above the ties tocover them between the track-rails, the latter serving as guards toconfine that part of the ballast in place, andv longitudinally-arrangedj guard-rails of uniform size detachably secured to the opposite edgesof the flooring to confine in place the ballast below the ties,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as ;my own I have hereto affixedmy signature 5 in the presence of two Witnesses.

JACOB MARTIN LEE.

Witnesses:

R. E. L. SWANsoN, RoB Bone.

